Daniel O'Brien

Meet Promo

The highlight of this year’s social calendar as usual will be the KMC Annual Dinner. This year we will be returning to Lake District and the most excellent Shap Wells Hotel. With a full weekend of outdoor activities and social events that brings together members, associate members and their partners from all over the UK and farther afield it is not to be missed!

This year’s extravaganza boasts two full days of outdoor activities (walking and climbing) a fabulous venue and a mouth-watering menu.

In addition, we now have a fantastic guest speaker for after dinner. Rebecca Coles, who in addition to holding a PhD in Glacial Morphology and being a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society has worked as an expedition leader since 2012, leading teams on trips from the Andes to Afghanistan. Rebecca will be talking about her first ascent of Lasarmu La, a 6,242m peak in the far west of Nepal in 2016.

If you are staying at the Shap Wells on the Friday night check in is from 3pm. In the evening, there will be an informal drinks in the bar starting around 8pm.

Saturday

Low Level or Shorter Walk: Venue and Meet leader – TBD or use the shorter options on the main walk or other variations.

Main Walk:

Meet leader – Andy Stratford.

Meet hotel lobby at 9.00am to depart at 9.15am for Mardale Head Car Park 107469 at the top end of Haweswater (35 minutes drive). Alternately come direct to car park to leave on the walk at 10.00am if you are coming from Manchester that morning.

The best and by far the most aesthetic way up High Street is via the Ridge up Rough Crag / Riggindale Crag overlooking Blea Water. High Street summit (828m) is just S then descending SE to Mardale Ill Bell (760m), another great viewpoint, then down to Nan Bield Pass. (Option to return direct to cars here via Small water tarn approx distance 6 miles in total). Up to Harter Fell (778m), then descending to Gatescarth pass where there is a second chance for an early and easy return to the cars - distance 7 1/2 miles). For anyone who needs to tick rarely visited Branstree and Selside (Wainwrights) these are both options from here and offer a couple of return to car options. The main walk will continue NE into Mosedale to pass the lonely Mosedale Cottage - a fine small bothy in one of the Lake Districts lesser known valleys before heading N and descending into the beautiful valley of Swindale. From here we can see across the valley to tomorrow's climbing venue - Gouther Crag. A final steep climb NW following the Old Corpse Road takes us back to a 2km path along the SE side of the Haweswater Resevoir and back to the cars. Distance for the full round approx 12 to 13 miles on mostly good paths - quite a few boggy sections so gaiters advised!

Climbing: Venue / Meet leader – TBD - if anyone would like to lead a climbing meet on the Saturday please contact Dan or Andy.

Call to Dinner: 6.45pm

Dinner (Howe Lodge Suite): 7pm – 8.45 pm

Speeches:: 9pm – 10pm Speakers, Raffle, Awards.

Hippy Shearing:

As an additional after dinner entertainment this year we have "Hippy shearing!" Yes, finally after all these years I have (well Vicky has) decided that it's time for the dreadlocks to go and that it should be done to raise money for a cause close to our hearts. Thus I am doing the McMillan Cancer Support "Brave the Shave" challenge and thought that doing it at the dinner would be fitting seeing as many of you have thought for years that I should get rid of the mop! People will be able to sponsor me on the night , or can phone and we'll add your name to the list or details of a Just Giving page will be circulated in the near future once we've got round to setting it up. Thanks for your support. Duncan Lee

After dinner drinks: Retire to the bar from the end of the speeches until the inevitable end…

Gouther Crag is the nearest local crag and was a brilliant venue when we were last at Shap wells with some great single pitch (25-35m) and the odd multipitch and a reasonable spread across the grades. It’s about a 30-40 minute walk in and nearly all routes require 2 x 50m ½ ropes.

Comprehensive guide FRCC Eastern Crags 2011, the old format Lake District Rock 2003 (13 routes listed), and the new A5 format Lake District Rock (17 routes listed) with excellent Topos and pics. There is also extensive bouldering listed.

Hangover: Almost guaranteed… – Meet leader TBD

I am really excited – where can I stay?

The KMC has reserved 25 rooms at the Shap Wells varying from £40 per person per night to £55 per person per night (including breakfast) depending on which package you choose - and we fully expect demand to exceed supply.

FINAL CALL FOR ROOMS - THERE ARE A FEW LEFT AS OF 25th August - very last chance to book is by 24th September, after this any spare rooms will be released back to Shap Wells, and the hotel is FULL, other than these few rooms we have left.